wered with a significant smile, that he believed
himself never to have had a complaint that deserved to be considered
as the Evil, but that his parents were poor, and had no objection to
the bit of gold.'"[174]

While it was not unknown before, the presentation of a piece of gold
was first generally introduced in the reign of Henry VII. It probably
descended from a practice common in the time of Edward III, whose
coin, the rose-noble, is said to have been worn as an amulet to
preserve from danger in battle. The angel-noble of Henry VII, valued
at ten shillings, appears to have been the coin given; it was in
common use and not made especially for this purpose. It had the figure
of the Archangel Michael on one side and a ship in full sail on the
other. Before hanging it on the patient's neck the monarch always
crossed the sore with it. The outlay for gold coins presented to the
afflicted on these occasions rose in some years as high as L10,000. So
great was the expense that after the reign of Elizabeth the size of
the coin was reduced. Touching pieces of the time of Charles II are
not rare even now.

In 1684 Surgeon John Browne published a curious work entitled
_Adenochoiradelogia: or an Anatomick-Chirurgical Treatise on Glandules
and Strumaes, or King's Evil Swellings_. In this the author traces the
gift of healing from our Saviour to the apostles, and thence by a
continuous line of Christian kings and governors, and holy men,
commencing with Edward the Confessor, whom he regards as the first
curer of scrofula by contact or imposition of hands. After referring
to his majesty in most flattering terms, he continues concerning "the
admirable effects and wonderful events of his royal cure throughout
all nations, where not only English, Dutch, Scotch, and Irish have
reaped ease and cure, but French, Germans, and all countreyes
whatsoever, far and near, have abundantly seen and received the same:
and none ever, hitherto, I am certain, mist thereof, unless their
little faith and incredulity starved their merits, or they received
his gracious hand for curing another disease, which was not really
evermore allowed to be cured by him; and as bright evidences hereof, I
have presumed to offer that some have immediately upon the very touch
been cured; others not so easily quitted from their swellings till the
favor of a second repetition thereof. Some also, losing their gold,
their diseases have seized them afresh, and no sooner hav